Teaching Tech
By Medha & Reshma Lalani

Please introduce yourself and share your current role within Tech Buddies.

We are Medha and Reshma Lalani, sisters, high school students from Lancaster County, and co-founders of Tech Buddies, a youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on helping older adults feel more confident, safe, and independent with technology. Our role is both strategic and hands-on. We lead partnerships, volunteer recruitment, government advocacy, training, program design, outreach, fundraising, and expansion planning, but we also spend time directly with seniors during sessions. That direct connection matters to us because Tech Buddies was never meant to be a program run from a distance. It is built around face-to-face support, patience, trust, and real relationships between students and older adults. We are also actively engaged in statewide and local advocacy, working with the Pennsylvania Governor’s Next Generation Commission, Representative Nikki Rivera, and Senator Scott Martin’s office to elevate digital inclusion for older adults and ensure youth voices are represented in policy conversations.

Since launching, Tech Buddies has grown from a small idea into a community effort with 115+ dedicated volunteers, 3,500+ seniors empowered, 24 community organizations reached, and more than 3 million online impressions. We are proud that what started as a local student project in Lancaster has become an award-winning social enterprise and nonprofit, recognized through programs such as the Philadelphia Eagles/Firstrust Bank Entrepreneurs Game Plan, Bloomsburg University’s Pitch competition, Bill of Rights Institute’s MyImpact Challenge, RIPYL-US edition Side Hustle competition and Harrisburg University’s launchU Student Startup Competition.

What inspired you to create Tech Buddies, and what problem were you hoping to solve?

The inspiration for Tech Buddies started at home. We saw our own grandparents struggle with everyday technology, whether it was figuring out a phone setting, using email, joining a video call, or understanding whether an online message looked suspicious. Helping them during summers and family visits made us realize that technology frustration is not just about devices. It can affect independence, confidence, access to information, and connection with family.

What began as a small home project slowly became something much larger, especially in our hometown of Lancaster, where the need is very real. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 20.5% of Lancaster County residents are age 65 or older. That means digital literacy is not a small issue here. It affects a major part of our community. We also noticed that many young people have grown up surrounded by technology, while many older adults were expected to adapt quickly to smartphones, apps, online forms, telehealth, digital banking, and cybersecurity risks without enough personalized support.

We created Tech Buddies to bridge that gap. Our goal was to offer free, in-person, one-on-one technology help in a way that felt approachable and respectful. Seniors can bring questions that matter to them, and student volunteers help at their pace. At its core, Tech Buddies is about making sure no one feels left behind in a digital world.

What has been the most rewarding part of building and growing the program?

The most rewarding part has been seeing confidence grow in real time. Sometimes the biggest moments are simple ones: a senior successfully sending a text to a grandchild, learning how to organize photos, using FaceTime for the first time, setting up email, or recognizing that a message might be a scam. Those moments may seem small, but they can make a huge difference in someone’s daily life.

It has also been meaningful to see the relationships that form between generations. A Tech Buddies session is not just a student fixing a phone. It is a conversation. Seniors share stories, students learn patience and communication, and both sides leave with more confidence. In one of our school media features, Tech Buddies was described as more than an idea because it had real numbers, real experiences, and real intergenerational connections behind it. That is exactly what has kept us motivated.

We are also proud that the impact goes both ways. Seniors gain practical digital skills, while student volunteers gain leadership experience, empathy, and a deeper understanding of aging and community service. Seeing students realize that their skills can make someone else’s life easier has been one of the most powerful parts of this journey.

What challenges have you faced along the way, and how have you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges has been scaling Tech Buddies without losing what makes it special. As demand grew, we had to think carefully about how to serve more seniors while still keeping sessions personal, safe, and high-quality. We did not want Tech Buddies to become a rushed help desk. We wanted every senior to feel heard and every volunteer to feel prepared.

To overcome that, we built stronger systems. We created volunteer onboarding, training materials, safety protocols, and guidance on how to handle sensitive topics such as banking, passwords, credit cards, and personal information. Volunteers are trained to support digital literacy while knowing when to step back, protect privacy, and refer seniors to trusted family members, staff, or official resources.

Another challenge has been balancing school, extracurriculars, partnerships, and nonprofit growth. We have learned to divide responsibilities, plan ahead, and build a team instead of trying to do everything ourselves. More recently, we developed a chapter toolkit so other students can bring Tech Buddies to their own communities while still following the same mission, values, and quality standards.

How has Lancaster influenced your personal and professional journey?

Lancaster has shaped Tech Buddies in almost every way. This community has a strong culture of service, collaboration, and showing up for one another. From schools to senior communities and local organizations, Lancaster gave us the encouragement and support to turn a family-inspired idea into a real program. Our local advocacy work has deepened this connection even further. Through collaboration with Representative Nikki Rivera and engagement with the PA Governor’s Next Generation Commission, we have had the opportunity to bring youth-led perspectives on aging and digital access into policy discussions that directly impact our community. We were also invited by PA Senator Scott Martin’s office to serve at an upcoming Senior Expo, where we will directly support older adults while continuing to raise awareness about the importance of digital literacy and safety.

Because Lancaster has such a significant older adult population, the mission also felt urgent and personal. We were not solving a distant problem. We were responding to something we could see in our own neighborhoods, families, and community spaces. That made the work feel very grounded.

Lancaster has also taught us that young people do not have to wait until adulthood to contribute. When students are trusted with responsibility and surrounded by supportive mentors, they can build something meaningful. Tech Buddies grew because people in Lancaster believed that youth-led ideas deserve a chance, and that has influenced how we view leadership, service, and our role in the future of this community.

What leadership lessons have you learned through your experience with Tech Buddies?

Tech Buddies has taught us that leadership starts with listening. When working with seniors, we cannot assume what they need. One person may want help with telehealth, another may want to learn online safety, and another may simply want to feel less embarrassed asking questions. Listening helps us design better sessions and build trust.

We have also learned that leadership means creating systems that allow others to lead too. Recruiting volunteers is important, but training them, supporting them, and giving them confidence is what makes the program sustainable. A strong leader should not be the only person who can make something work. They should build a structure where the mission can grow through other people.

Most importantly, we have learned to lead with both ambition and responsibility. We want Tech Buddies to expand, but we want it to expand thoughtfully. That means protecting seniors’ privacy, preparing volunteers well, working closely with partner organizations, and making sure the quality of the experience stays strong as the program grows.

What advice would you give to young professionals who are looking to create meaningful impact in their communities?

Start close to home. Many meaningful ideas come from paying attention to the people around you, including your family, neighbors, school, workplace, or local community organizations. Tech Buddies began because we noticed a real need through our own grandparents and then realized that many other seniors were facing the same challenge.

Our advice is to start small, but start with consistency. You do not need a perfect website, huge funding, or a fully built-out plan on day one. You need a real problem, a clear purpose, and the willingness to take the first step. Test your idea, ask for feedback, improve it, and keep showing up.

We would also encourage young professionals to build with the community, not just for the community. The best solutions come when the people you serve have a voice in shaping the program. For us, seniors’ questions, partner feedback, and volunteer experiences have all helped make Tech Buddies stronger. Impact is not about doing everything yourself. It is about creating something that others believe in and can help carry forward.

What are your goals and vision for Tech Buddies over the next three to five years?

Over the next year, our vision is to grow Tech Buddies from a strong Lancaster-based nonprofit into a broader student-led movement for digital inclusion. We want to continue strengthening our local work while expanding through chapters in other communities and in fact we have already launched chapters in 26 other cities across 5 states in addition to expanding in the UK, Australia and India. Alongside program expansion, we plan to continue growing our advocacy efforts by working with legislative leaders and state-level commissions to promote digital inclusion policies and resources for seniors.

Our goal is not just to grow fast. It is to grow responsibly. We want every chapter to have clear training, safety expectations, partner guidance, and a strong understanding of the Tech Buddies mission. We also hope to deepen our focus on online safety, scam prevention, telehealth access, communication tools, and digital confidence for older adults.

Long term, we want Tech Buddies to show that intergenerational programs can be practical, scalable, and deeply human. Technology will keep changing, but the need for patience, trust, and connection will remain. We want Tech Buddies to be part of the solution by empowering seniors, developing student leaders, and helping communities become more digitally inclusive.

What does the phrase “Next Generation” mean to you?

To us, Next Generation means stepping up with purpose. It means young people using their skills, energy, and creativity to solve problems that affect people right now, not someday in the future. It also means recognizing that progress should include every generation.

Tech Buddies is built on that idea. Students may be the next generation of leaders, but seniors carry wisdom, stories, and lived experience that we can all learn from. When those generations come together, the impact is stronger than what either group could create alone.

For us, Next Generation is not just about age. It is about action. It is about building a community where young people are empowered to lead, older adults are supported and respected, and everyone has the opportunity to stay connected in a changing world.

We invite students, schools, senior living communities, libraries, businesses, and local organizations to join us in expanding digital access for older adults. Whether you want to volunteer, start a chapter, host a session, become a community partner, or help spread the word, Tech Buddies is always looking for people who believe technology should connect us, not separate us. Learn more at www.techbuddiesprogram.com

This conversation highlights the value of perseverance, meaningful relationships, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities. His journey reflects how mentorship, community engagement, and a servant-minded approach can create lasting impact both professionally and personally. Through his work and involvement throughout Lancaster County, he continues to help businesses thrive while investing in the people and relationships that make the community strong.